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Federal Court Upholds Voting Rights Of Alaska Natives Who Need Language Assistance (07/31/2008)
ANCHORAGE — Late yesterday, a federal court ordered Alaska's state and local elections officials to provide effective language assistance to citizens who speak Yup'ik, the primary language of a majority of voters in the Bethel region of Alaska. The victory came in a legal challenge brought by Native American Rights Fund (NARF) and the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of four Alaska Natives and four tribal governments.

NARF AND ACLU Ask Federal Court To Stop Disenfranchisement Of Alaska Natives Who Need Language Assistance (05/05/2008)
ANCHORAGE — On behalf of four Alaska Natives and four tribal governments, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a motion in federal court today ordering state and local elections officials to provide effective oral language assistance and voting materials to citizens who speak Yup'ik, the primary language of a majority of voters in the Bethel region of Alaska. The motion comes in a lawsuit filed in 2007 charging state and local elections officials with ongoing violations of the federal Voting Rights Act.

ACLU Disappointed With Supreme Court's Voter ID Decision (04/28/2008)
WASHINGTON - In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court today rejected a challenge to Indiana's most-restrictive-in-the-nation voter identification law. The American Civil Liberties Union's case, Crawford v. Marion County Election Board - consolidated with Indiana Democratic Party v. Rokita - is an appeal of two lower court decisions that upheld the state's law requiring voters to present government-issued photo IDs in order to vote. The ACLU argued that the Indiana law creates an unconstitutional burden on voting rights.

Vote by Mail Legislation Eliminates Burdens on the Right to Vote (04/02/2008)
Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union today expressed strong support for H.R. 281, the “Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act,” scheduled for markup by the House Administration Committee later this morning. Sponsored by Representative Susan Davis (D-CA), H.R. 281 would ensure that all Americans have an equal opportunity to vote by mail in federal elections for any reason.

ACLU Lawsuit Says Officials Unconstitutionally Prevented Man From Voting In Virginia (02/28/2008)
RICHMOND, VA – The American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Virginia today filed a federal lawsuit against a Virginia county’s voting officials for refusing to allow a resident to vote when he was unable to produce identification. Virginia law allows registered voters in state elections to vote without an ID, once they have signed an identity verification form.

ACLU Sues Over Tennessee’s Felon Disenfranchisement Law (02/25/2008)
NASHVILLE – The American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Tennessee filed a lawsuit today in federal court challenging the state’s 2006 law that made the restoration of voting rights for people convicted of crimes contingent on the payment of all outstanding legal financial obligations (LFOs), namely restitution and child support fees. According to the ACLU’s lawsuit, requiring some individuals to bear an undue financial burden before voting is tantamount to a poll tax in violation of the constitutional right to vote and the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause.

ACLU Hotline To Help Virginia Voters Who Encounter Problems During Presidential Primaries (02/11/2008)
RICHMOND, VA - The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia will have its hotline open tomorrow for voters who run into problems at the polls during the presidential primaries. The hotline will enable voters to contact someone at the ACLU if they feel they have been illegally denied the right to vote. The ACLU hotline number is 804/644-8080.

ACLU Asks Federal Court to Block Use of Unfair Voting Technology (01/28/2008)
CLEVELAND - The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Ohio filed a motion today asking federal Judge Kathleen O'Malley of the Northern District of Ohio to prevent Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections from using balloting technology that does not give notice to voters of problems with their ballot. The motion follows a lawsuit filed by the ACLU on January 17 challenging the constitutionality of this technology.

ACLU of Ohio Applauds Statement by County Elections Officials (01/24/2008)
CLEVELAND - Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio renewed its call for Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and Cuyahoga County Board of Elections officials to heed the advice of the state’s top organization for election officials and reverse their decision to switch to voting technology that does not alert voters to errors on ballots.

ACLU Challenges Ohio’s Unequal Voting Technology in Federal Court (01/17/2008)
CLEVELAND – The American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Ohio filed a lawsuit against state election officials in federal court today challenging the use of unequal, inaccurate and inadequate voting technology in Ohio’s most populous county. Today’s legal action seeks to block Cuyahoga County’s recent shift from using electronic voting machines to a system that lacks the ability to provide voters with notice of balloting errors and an opportunity to correct such mistakes. According to the ACLU, the use of this new system violates the Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment as well as the Voting Rights Act.

Senate Committee to Take Up Voter Restoration Bill Today (01/15/2008)
Richmond, VA – The Privileges and Elections Committee of the Virginia Senate will likely vote this afternoon on a constitutional amendment to allow non-violent felons who have completed their sentences to be able to vote. Under existing law in Virginia, all felons are permanently disenfranchised, and may have their right to vote restored only by the Governor.

Supreme Court Hears ACLU's Landmark Voter ID Case (01/09/2008)
WASHINGTON -- In the most important voting rights case since Bush v. Gore settled the 2000 presidential election, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments today in a challenge to Indiana's most-restrictive-in-the-nation voter identification law. The American Civil Liberties Union's case, Crawford v. Marion County Election Board — consolidated with Indiana Democratic Party v. Rokita — is an appeal of two lower court decisions that upheld the state's law requiring voters to present government-issued photo IDs in order to vote. According to the ACLU, the Indiana law creates an unconstitutional burden on voting rights.

ACLU of Utah Investigates Ogden City Election Complaints (11/19/2007)
OGDEN, UT – The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah will be looking into complaints it has received regarding election irregularities in the November 6th mayoral race in Ogden, Utah, as it considers potential action.

ACLU Seeks Materials on Voter ID Requirements at Polls (11/15/2007)
RICHMOND, VA - The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia today sent a Freedom of Information Act request to local voting officials across the state seeking copies of signs used at polling places on Election Day and training materials pertaining to voter identification requirements.

Election Day Hotlines Will Help Voters Who Encounter Problems at the Polls (11/05/2007)
RICHMOND, VA - The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia and the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP will provide hotlines tomorrow for voters who run into problems on Election Day. The decision to inform voters of their rights and to offer assistance stems from the experiences of the NAACP and the ACLU in recent years.

ACLU Voting Rights Project Director Calls on Justice Department to Enforce Voting Rights Laws, Not Block People from Voting (10/30/2007)
Washington, DC – The head of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Voting Rights Project called on Congress today to investigate the Voting Rights Section of the Department of Justice, which in recent years has abandoned its historic role as the principal enforcer of voting discrimination laws and has instead used its power to promote barriers to voting.

Court Rejects Threat to Vote Trading Websites (08/06/2007)
LOS ANGELES - In a decision stemming from a dispute during the controversial presidential election of 2000, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today that so-called "vote-swapping" websites are protected by the First Amendment.

ACLU Expresses Support for H.R. 1281, Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act (06/25/2007)
Washington, DC - The American Liberties Union urged the House of Representatives to pass H.R. 1281, the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007, which is expected to receive a floor vote later today. This legislation is intended to address the very real problem of deceptive campaign communications in federal elections. If deceptive voting practices are not prohibited, many voters will be prevented from exercising their right to vote, which is at the very core of American democracy.

ACLU Urges Senate to Oppose Voter ID Amendment to Immigration Reform Bill (06/05/2007)
Washington, DC - The American Civil Liberties Union today urged the Senate to oppose Senator Mitch McConnell’s amendment to S. 1348, the immigration reform bill, which is expected to receive a floor vote as soon as this evening. Senator McConnell’s amendment would require voters to present a government-issued photo ID in order to vote in federal elections. This requirement imposes an unnecessary and undue burden on the exercise of the fundamental right to vote for millions of Americans who are eligible, registered, and qualified to vote.

ACLU of New Jersey Election Day Report Calls for Reform of Voting Systems (06/05/2007)
NEWARK - With citizens headed to the polls for primary elections, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey and the League of Women Voters of New Jersey today released a report highlighting significant concerns about New Jersey's voting systems and made recommendations for changes to improve voting rights in New Jersey after reported problems during the November 2006 general election.